OT: Question to those living in/around the Houston area....

[CTOkie]

Considering living in Houston again after my wife's retirement a few years down the road. I'm fairly familiar with most areas of Houston, but there's been so much growth since I left in 1986, I need to know more about the area.
Right now, the Cypress area looks very good to me. Lots of new and inexpensive houses, nice area and it's in the northwest area of Houston, away from the congestion....well, some of it anyway.
I love Connecticut, living exactly between NYC and Boston, close to Maine, Gettysburg, Cooperstown and other places, but this region is not at all retirement friendly due to very high taxes and overall cost of living. Plus, even though my parents and brother have passed away, I still have friends, a sister-in-law and 13 nieces and nephews that I want to be near in my remaining years.
I've lived previously out west of Houston, off the Wilcrest exit on I-10, in West University, in Sharpstown and in the Spring Branch area, but those places do not appeal to me and West University is too expensive.
At 68, I prefer living in a condo after I leave this beautiful home I now live in. Yard work in Houston during the summer is not an option.
What neighborhoods can you recommend ?

 

[owenfieldreams]

We have lived in the Houston area for 30 years...including in Memorial, inside the loop, Galveston including the west end, the east end, & in the Strand district.We just moved to Sienna Plantation which is in Missouri City. I prefer the west side of Houston; i.e., Sugarland, Katy, MO. City, Richmond, etc. (Fort Bend County). Houston has a well deserved rep. for affordable housing although you are right about West U. A lot depends on what you want in terms of life style, accessibility to sports, the arts, medical support, etc. Both Sienna Plantation and the Pearland area are close enough to Houston yet totally independent in terms of identity. Obviously, the north side...The Woodlands, Kingwood, Cypress, etc. are all very nice.

 

[Plainosooner]

This might sound foolish to you, but if I were you, I'd consider living close to Norman. Much less expensive housing than most suburban areas in Texas. Not quite so hot in the summer. Friendlier people, mostly, by a little.

 

[CTOkie]

This might sound foolish to you, but if I were you, I'd consider living close to Norman. Much less expensive housing than most suburban areas in Texas. Not quite so hot in the summer. Friendlier people, mostly, by a little.

Norman is one of the most livable places I know of and I have a cousin in OKC (an OU grad with lots of inside connections to the football program) who also doubles as my best friend. But Houston is where my friends and family live and at this stage of my life that carries a lot of importance for me, now more than ever. If I could position myself in Houston where access to doctors/hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants....especially Mexican restaurants...are nearby, and I'm somewhat removed from the 610 Loop and Katy Freeway, I would be all set.
Here in Portland, Ct., I have for over 22 years had a small town existance, with everything I need with 2-3 miles of home. People are friendly, scenery is nice and lots to do for me with my favorite places in the same general region. It will/would be very hard to leave, but money talks when retirement comes along.

 

[coeSooner81]

Before moving back to the Dallas area, I live in The Woodlands/Magnolia area. Very nice area with lots to do. If you are a lake guy then the Conroe area may be a spot to look into.

 

[Plainosooner]

Norman is one of the most livable places I know of and I have a cousin in OKC (an OU grad with lots of inside connections to the football program) who also doubles as my best friend. But Houston is where my friends and family live and at this stage of my life that carries a lot of importance for me, now more than ever. If I could position myself in Houston where access to doctors/hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants....especially Mexican restaurants...are nearby, and I'm somewhat removed from the 610 Loop and Katy Freeway, I would be all set.
Here in Portland, Ct., I have for over 22 years had a small town existance, with everything I need with 2-3 miles of home. People are friendly, scenery is nice and lots to do for me with my favorite places in the same general region. It will/would be very hard to leave, but money talks when retirement comes along.

I understand. I have essentially lived two places in my life: Tulsa til I was almost a teen, and the suburbs north of Dallas, ever since. Used to make trips back to Tulsa, but they're all gone. So here is where I've been for 53 years and here is likely where I'll be til I don't be any more.

But my best friend who lives in Keller is likely to head to the southeast, since that is where his grandkids seem to have ended up, at least his two older kids. Having grandkid access is pretty valuable. I just don't have any so far, and none on the horizon.

 

[CTOkie]

Update: just talked about this with my wife and she prefers the area in the Hill Country....San Marcos, New Braunfels, Wimberley and even west around Fredericksburg.
Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, three of the 10 largest cities in the country, are too big for us.
Any advise on these places ?

 

[owenfieldreams]

I cannot recommend Sienna Plantation strongly enough. It's like it's own community with easy access to the Galleria, The Med. Center, NRG, downtown, the Museum District, and Mid-town via Fort Bend Parkway. We just bought a patio home to be closer to our daughter who has lived in Sienna for close to 15 years.

 

[owenfieldreams]

Of the Hill Country towns you mentioned my favorite is Wimberly.

 

[iasooner1]

I still like to visit TUL but would never want to live there again. Gone are the days when a guy could leave his home unlocked at night (and that was even the North side) plus traffic and crime there is totally ridiculous.

Where did you go to school when you lived there Plaino ?

 

[fortworth4ou2]

Fort Worth CT has everything you need and that includes me.

 

[CTOkie]

Fort Worth CT has everything you need and that includes me.

Anywhere I live in Texas I will see you.

 

[iasooner1]

Whynota is somewhere around HOU; he knows his bbq. The thing I would be wary about living around there would be the risk of hurricanes...

 

[AbsoluteZer0]

If the Earth had an asshole, it would be Houston. I have no idea why anyone would actually choose to live there....except my ex wife which makes sense.

The hill country is awesome except every asswipe from California and New York is trying to move to the Austin area driving up the prices so much that normal folks can't afford to live there.

I've heard that south of Dallas toward DeSoto is pretty nice or even south of Ft. Worth in Burleson is also pretty good. I don't know first hand though. My mom lives in Arlington and likes it.

Tulsa's not as bad as it's made out to be. I haven't had the opportunity to shoot anyone yet since I moved back up here.

 

[trademarcs]

I've lived in the Tulsa area since I was a kid. Love it here and wouldn't move under most circumstances. I live west of Tulsa about 20 miles in Kellyville now and I can leave my doors unlocked and keys in the vehicles. It's a very small town and very country. Think I'll stay!

 

[iasooner1]

Let's all move to Kellyville !

 

[JConXtsy]

Let's all move to Kellyville !

I hear they have free cars.

 

[Senior Sooner]

Let's all move to Kellyville !

There goes the 'hood...

 

[BillyRay]

or even south of Ft. Worth in Burleson is also pretty good. I don't know first hand though. My mom lives in Arlington and likes it.

I'm living in south Fort Worth and it's a pretty nice area. Most anything a handful of miles south of I-20 and west of I-35 is pretty dang nice. Some really nice areas popping up a lot the Chisholm Trail Parkway out where I am at. It's all brand new and building up.

 

[humblesooner]

The hill country is beginning to become a popular place to be. Probably Baby Boomers retiring and getting away from the big cities.
Check property tax rates wherever you decide to end up.
If you make a switch back to Houston, think about New Caney.
No, seriously. With the Grand Parkway there, it has become almost unrecognizable already. And they are just getting started.
May have the same issue with property taxes soon, if not already. It is out of Harris County, which is a good thing.
And 80-100 miles from the coast (and hurricanes).

 

[Oklabama]

The hill country is beginning to become a popular place to be. Probably Baby Boomers retiring and getting away from the big cities.
Check property tax rates wherever you decide to end up.
If you make a switch back to Houston, think about New Caney.
No, seriously. With the Grand Parkway there, it has become almost unrecognizable already. And they are just getting started.
May have the same issue with property taxes soon, if not already. It is out of Harris County, which is a good thing.
And 80-100 miles from the coast (and hurricanes).

Wow.....you just took me back to the mid-70's. I lived in Roman Forest back and New Caney was considered waaayy out. Some folks I knew didn't recognize the name and actually it was then considered Porter-New Caney. I haven't been back there since 1977.

 

[humblesooner]

I live in Huffman now, off of 2100. Doubt The Commons was around when you were here. It is about 5 miles north of 1960 and on the lake. Large lots (1-10 acres).
I live on the east side of 2100, in Fairway Crossing. Golf Course is Red Wolf Run (2nd time). Used to be Lake Houston CC, the Sanctuary (I think). It might have been there in '77, not sure.
I take 2100 north for about 5-6 miles and it turns west (becoming 1485) and takes you right to New Caney. The Grand Parkway ends at 59 just south of 1485. They have just started working on the Grand Parkway going east from New Caney/59.
Texan GM has built a state-of-the-art High School football stadium for New Caney right at Grand Parkway and 59.
The new stores going up around it (Sam's, Best Buy, etc) make it look like the mall around Jerry World.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Update: just talked about this with my wife and she prefers the area in the Hill Country....San Marcos, New Braunfels, Wimberley and even west around Fredericksburg.
Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, three of the 10 largest cities in the country, are too big for us.
Any advise on these places ?

CT, the Hill Country is still beautiful as ever but is now getting pretty developed. Prices have shot up do to many electing to retire. Of the towns you've mentioned I personally would prefer Winberly. It still had a small town charm & is central to the others. San MacOS, and even New Braunfels have grown considerably. It sounds as if you need to have a nice visit to the area!

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

I also want to a couple things... if a decision to move back to Houston comes around again, humble sooner is correct in that the Grand Parkway has been a huge, major addition. It is now the 3rd loop that goes around Houston. It was just recently completed. As such, growth has been phenomenal. From 59S headed N to Katy, continuing N to Cypress, then E to the Woodlands, & finally E to 59N. In all of these areas schools, retail, office& housing are literally popping out of the ground. The NW is nice & these days one can get from Cypress to Katy pretty easily.

With regards to the Hill Country, I also suggest that you check out Lake LBJ. It is the only lake in the chain of lakes of the hill country that is constant lake level. All others rise & fall etc. Specifically, check out the town of Kingsland. It is located on the N side or opposite side of the lake from SA, Austin, and/or Houston. As a result, real estate is a tad cheaper. You can get a beautiful condo right on the water! This is where we want to retire when our time comes.

 

[Oklabama]

I live in Huffman now, off of 2100. Doubt The Commons was around when you were here. It is about 5 miles north of 1960 and on the lake. Large lots (1-10 acres).
I live on the east side of 2100, in Fairway Crossing. Golf Course is Red Wolf Run (2nd time). Used to be Lake Houston CC, the Sanctuary (I think). It might have been there in '77, not sure.
I take 2100 north for about 5-6 miles and it turns west (becoming 1485) and takes you right to New Caney. The Grand Parkway ends at 59 just south of 1485. They have just started working on the Grand Parkway going east from New Caney/59.
Texan GM has built a state-of-the-art High School football stadium for New Caney right at Grand Parkway and 59.
The new stores going up around it (Sam's, Best Buy, etc) make it look like the mall around Jerry World.

I wouldn't even recognize the area now, I'm sure. Roman Forest was a bit before its time. It was a planned up scale area with a golf course, which only stayed operational a few years. That was just nothing near the community. We enjoyed the half area lots and beautiful trees. I was with Ford Motor and travelled frequently so that's why we decided to move from Sharpstown area to New Caney. The drive time from Roman Forest to International Airport was much faster than coming in from Sharpstown. There was a road house on Hwy 59 right across from the entrance to Roman Forest that I spent many Friday nights after I flew into Houston. Our time in Houston was some of the best times my wife and I had. My first job, young and living in an exciting city. That was the life! But with Ford you had to transfer a lot. Houston, Corpus, back to Houston, Little Rock, Memphis, back to Houston before being asked to go to Dearborn. That's when I left the company and moved back home to Sooner land. Hoorah.

 

[DubaiSooner]

I lived and worked for most of 32 years overseas. I had the opportunity to buy a house in Houston on two occasions, meaning I was supposed to live there but didn't get to spend much time in Texas. I had a house built in north Spring off 2920. I liked the area but never really caught the Houston bug. When I decided to return to the USA I created my list based on pluses/minuses. Location was not an issue so I looked at several locations in several states. Schools (high school daughter), Taxes, cost of building, cost of living, quality of life, crime rates, weather, proximity to airport (didn't retire), on a lake or golf course and local environment (congestion). I ended up in far north Scottsdale, Arizona (Pinnacle Peak). I have siblings in Montgomery County Texas, Washington County Oklahoma and Newport Beach California. My wife always had a green card but never lived in the US so I had some concerns about the high desert of Az. We have never regretted our decision. She loves Arizona. Happy wife happy life. My most recent handle is ScottsdaleSooner but I have not been able to log in with that handle for awhile now.

 

[Senior Sooner]

My most recent handle is ScottsdaleSooner but I have not been able to log in with that handle for awhile now.

Dub...Seems to me that you had this problem several years ago, and I suggested that you LOG OUT, THEN try to LOGIN with ScottsdaleSooner. It worked, if Memory serves me right. It still does once in a while! Good Luck!

 

[DubaiSooner]

I repeated the same process and it won't accept password.

Dub...Seems to me that you had this problem several years ago, and I suggested that you LOG OUT, THEN try to LOGIN with ScottsdaleSooner. It worked, if Memory serves me right. It still does once in a while! Good Luck!

When I enter ScottsdaleSooner as username and then Forgot My Password I enter my email address and then never receive an email notice to change the password. Very frustrating to say the least.

 

[Scottsdale.Sooner]

It's amazing what a problem a small thing like a "period" between Scottsdale and Sooner can present. I'm back.

 

[Senior Sooner]

It's amazing what a problem a small thing like a "period" between Scottsdale and Sooner can present. I'm back.

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